CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Continues To Spread

A salmonella outbreak tied to a particular kind of papaya continues to grow, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Since the illnesses were first linked to the fruit in mid-May, a total of 141 people have become ill and one person has died.

Officials from the CDC say that consumers should not eat Maradol papayas from the Carica De Campeche farm in Mexico. If you are unsure if a papaya came from the farm, you should ask the place of purchase or just throw it out.

As of Wednesday, the outbreak has been reported in 19 states, including four cases in Minnesota. Out of the information the department received, 45 have been hospitalized. The one death linked to the bacteria happened in New York City.

Illnesses that occurred after July 14, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks.

Common signs and symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps usually develop 12-72 hours after being exposed. The illness typically lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment.

However, children younger than five years old, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems may be more likely to have a severe illness. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

The FDA tested other papayas imported from Mexico and isolated several types of Salmonella bacteria. The CDC is working to determine if there are any illnesses with these other strains of the bacteria linked to the outbreak.

More information about the outbreak can be found on the CDC’s website.